1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to wireless coupling in information systems and, in particular, to wireless coupling of standardized information devices to non-standardized information devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Wireless coupling of information devices has been described in a number of publications. For example, published PCT Application Number WO 97/29605 describes a wireless virtual Local Area Network (LAN) which enables workgroup membership to be redefined without physical wiring changes. This is particularly useful, for example, to facilitate communication between remotely-located LANs and to permit ad hoc networking between a group of portable computers.
Such known wireless coupling arrangements are very useful, but they are limited to the coupling of standardized information devices, i.e. information devices that are adapted to communicate with each other in accordance with a common standard. A typical example is a network of computers that are adapted for communication over a common information bus. There are also, however, many other applications where it is desirable to establish wireless communications between standardized information devices and non-standardized information devices, i.e. information devices that are not adapted to communicate in accordance with a common standard. Non-standardized information devices include both standard-capable information devices, such as computers that have not been adapted to communicate in accordance with commonly-used standard, and standard-incapable information devices which do not have sufficient intelligence to be so adapted. Examples of typical standard-incapable information devices with which wireless communications are of particular interest are security apparatus, audio and video equipment, telephone equipment etc. Although it is possible to provide each non-standardized information device in a system with sufficient hardware to enable it to communicate in accordance with a common standard, this is an expensive and often impractical solution. It would require substantial modification of every non-standardized information device in the system.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for enabling economical wireless communication between standardized nodes and non-standardized nodes. As used herein:
xe2x80x9cnodexe2x80x9d means any device that is capable of producing, processing or utilizing information;
xe2x80x9cstandardized nodexe2x80x9d means a node that is adapted for communicating with other nodes in accordance with a common standard;
xe2x80x9cnon-standardized nodexe2x80x9d means a node that is not adapted for communicating with other nodes in accordance with a common standard;
xe2x80x9cwireless communicationxe2x80x9d means communicating information via any energy propagation mode which is feasible for the information being communicated, including, for example, radio frequency (RF), infra-red (IR), and sonic energy propagation modes.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a method and apparatus which automatically adapts to the addition and removal of both standardized and non-standardized nodes from a wireless communication system.
In a method in accordance with the invention, wireless communication in a system including standardized nodes and non-standardized nodes is achieved by:
establishing a virtual network including a respective virtual node representing each non-standardized node;
communicating information between each non-standardized node and the respective virtual node in a communication format/protocol compatible with that non-standardized node;
communicating information between each virtual node and the standardized nodes in a communication format/protocol compatible with the standardized nodes.
In an apparatus in accordance with the invention, a wireless information system is formed which includes:
at least one non-standardized node having a transceiver for wireless communication;
a standardized network including a bus for carrying communications between any standardized nodes that are connected to the bus;
a wireless station including a transceiver for wireless communication with the at least one non-standardized node;
a virtual network coupled to the wireless station and including a controller and a memory for cooperatively:
establishing in the memory a virtual node representing each non-standardized node;
communicating information between each non-standardized node and the respective virtual node in a communication format/protocol compatible with the non-standardized node;
communicating information between each virtual node and each standardized node in a communication format/protocol compatible with the standardized node.